Irredeemable
by feari teiru
Summary: She didn't believe in witches and demons and curses. He didn't believe he could ever be saved. Funny how things work out.
1. Chapter 1

**Irredeemable**

**summary; **She didn't believe in witches and demons and curses. He didn't believe he could ever be saved. Funny how things work out.

**_1;_**

_Drowned rats_. She imagined that was what the patrons of the small tavern they had taken refuge in thought of them as they slunk further into the relative heat, desperately wringing out their cloaks as they went. Her boots were all but flooded, and her hair stuck pathetically to the back of her neck. A quick glance at both of her companions told her that they hadn't fared any better than she.

Now free from the seemingly eternal downpour of torrential rain, she shed her hood - not that it had done her much good - and looked around the tavern, unsurprised to find several sets of suspicious eyes trained on her and her companions. She nodded, almost apologetically, to the patrons and slid into an empty seat around a small table. The lone candle flickered dangerously as her companions sat themselves down, dropping their bags unceremoniously to the floor.

"Well," she said in hushed tones, "at least we're out of _that _downpour," she offered her companions a ghost of a smile as they all huddled closer to the candle, hoping it's pathetic flame would warm their souls. She wasn't surprised when they both smiled back. They had always been like that, eager to follow and help no matter what she suggested. She had yet to decide if this was wholly a good thing.

"Aye," the tallest said, "but where to from here? We can't keep hopping from town to town like this."

"Jet's right, mistress," the other man mumbled, "we must get you settled in somewhere, you're dead on your feet."

She blushed a little at his words, it was true, she _was _dead on her feet and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner and sleep for as long as her body would allow, "don't be silly Droy! I'm fine," she lied, fighting the urge to yawn, "and please, it's not _mistress _or _ma'am _or _anything_ anymore. We're of the same station now. Levy will do just fine."

Droy nodded, mumbling a quick word of apology at his slip up, "we will need to find work as soon as we can however, our coins are running low."

"Dangerously low," Jet added, a sigh falling from his lips, "I worry we may not have enough to find board for the night."

Levy bit her lip but was spared from having to find a solution to their problem right then as a gruff voice spoke out. Turning around slightly on her chair, she realised that the patrons of the tavern were still staring at them wearily. She wondered if they had heard Jet's remark about their funds.

"Can I help yer?"

The threesome inclined their heads towards the large man behind the bar who was regarding them with distrustful, beady eyes.

Not for the first time since embarking on her travels, she found herself praising the heavens for Jet and Droy. Where she shrunk at the mans penetrative glare, both Jet and Droy seemed to grow, neither backing down at the stare that was so obviously intended to be intimidating.

"Good evening sir," Jet bowed his head politely, "we're travellers in search of work. A kind woman in Hargeon informed us that we might find what we're looking for in this fair town."

The man behind the bar chuckled, as did a few of the patrons surrounding them, "the wench in 'Argeon lied to yer. Ain't no work in this god awful town, that's fer sure."

"_Damn right_," a slurred voice snapped loudly.

Levy felt her heart sink at the words. _This _had been their last resort. They'd been travelling for longer than she cared to remember, too scared and nervous to spend more than a day in any town without need. The promise of finding work led them to the small town of Magnolia, a town so nondescript and withdrawn from the bustling London, it had ignited a strange sense of hope in the three travellers. _Finally _they would be able to stop running. Like the pitiful candle sat on their table, she felt that hope begin to extinguish.

"She seemed _quite _sure, sir," Droy continued, "she was very eager to point us in this direction."

"_Pah! _Probably just didn't want no good fer nothing travellers 'anging around _'er_ tavern!"

The not so subtle message was clear. _He _didn't want them in his tavern for much longer either.

Levy bit her lip, reluctant to leave the moderately warm space they had found themselves in. The loud _pitter patter _on the old roof above them told her the heavy downpour had not lessened and their cloaks were still soaking. She knew she wasn't imagining the slight shake in Jet's step or the croaky tone in Droy's voice. Her two friends would not fare well if they had to spend another night without a stable roof over their heads.

"Please," she said, fighting away the urge to cringe away from the glare of the man behind the bar, "there must be _something_ here. Magnolia is the largest town we've come across in our travels over the last few days, you must have need for an extra pair of hands _somewhere_."

The man shook his head stubbornly, "ain't nothing 'ere."

She slumped down in her seat, wide eyes glancing over towards Jet and Droy, imploring either of them to have a magical plan to their dire situation. She imagined the hopelessness she saw was mirrored in her own eyes. For the first time since embarking on their journey, she wondered if they should've taken their chances in London.

"Now, now Ewan," a mildly softer voice spoke out, "don't go lyin' to these poor souls."

Just like _that_, she felt the hope she had so desperately clung to reignite in her soul. She glanced up and sought out an old woman sitting in a poorly lit corner not far from them.

"There's work to be had?" she asked, noticing the way both Jet and Droy had turned to face the woman with hope shining bright in their eyes.

"Aye," the woman nodded, "the good Earl of Magnolia is looking for new additions to his...lovely home," she purred, a strange smile tugging at her wizened lips.

The tavern seemed to stir at her words. People she had assumed were sleeping - or quite possibly dead if the stench was anything to go by - were suddenly awake and whispering loudly amongst themselves.

"Oi, ow'd you 'ear that?" Ewan asked, leaning against the bartop.

"The pretty one was down here a few days ago wasn't she?" the woman asked almost absentmindedly, seemingly not expecting an answer from anyone, "askin' around to see if anyone here would be foolish enough to go up there."

"Foolish?" Droy asked sharply, "forgive me ma'am, but it seems like your town is desperate for work, why would anyone turn down an offer from an Earl?"

The whispers and muttering in the tavern got louder at his question.

The woman cocked her head to the side a little before snapping, "it's _haunted_ you know? That ghastly castle."

"Ah _shut up _you goddamn lunatic," Ewan growled, waving an airy hand at the woman, "ain't no such thing as a 'aunted castle."

Levy frowned, she had never been one to care for stories of ghouls, witches and demons, knowing when to differentiate fact from fiction, but... "why has nobody accepted the Earl's offer?" she asked.

"_Haunted," _the old woman whispered dramatically.

"The Earl ain't known for 'is kindness," Ewan muttered reluctantly.

"Foul, foul man!" someone yelled.

"_Bastard_," another person chipped in.

"_Cursed. He's cursed_," the old woman hissed.

"Would you _shut up_, yer old _bat!" _Ewan growled, "we ain't fond of our good Earl," he finished, turning back to the three, "per'aps, when 'e finds it in 'is 'eart to lower taxes in this shit'ole, we'd be more eager to 'elp out."

"Here, here!" a slurred voice called out, shortly followed by the sounds of several glasses clanking together.

"Thoughts?" Jet murmured, turning around slightly.

"He sounds like a piece of work," Droy wrinkled his nose in badly disguised disgust, "and there's always the chance he would recognise Levy."

She shook her head, "father never spoke about an Earl of Magnolia, he's _certainly _never visited the city. He should know nothing of my appearance and my name is common enough that it shouldn't cause any problems."

Jet hummed, "work _is _work," he muttered under his breath, "and being in the company of an Earl would allow us to keep our ear to the ground."

"I don't like it," Droy grumbled, "but I suppose you two have made up your minds already, hm?"

Levy offered him up an apologetic smile and gently squeezed his cold hand, "unless you have any other ideas swirling around that head of yours?"

"No…"

"Then to the Earl of Magnolia we go."

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The townsfolk in the tavern had unapologetically _jeered _at them when they revealed their intentions to accept the offer made by the Earl. It had taken several minutes of laughter and shouts of _"don't come cryin' back 'ere with yer tails between yer legs when you've 'ad enough!" _before someone had reluctantly given them directions to _Castle Redfox_. The old woman hadn't stopped murmuring about curses and by the way she was ignored by the rest of the tavern, Levy got the feeling this was a regular occurrence.

"It's very grand, isn't it?" Droy muttered, peering into the distance at the building that lay before them.

Castle Redfox was situated at the very edge of the town, separated by a dark, dense forest with only one badly created trail designed to lead the way. It was clear Castle Redfox didn't get many visitors.

The trees were taller and darker and more _twisted _than any she had seen in London. The only positive about the gloomy forest was the fact it sheltered them from the rain. The tree branches stretched out further than what she thought was normal, creating a makeshift roof above their heads. If she was honest with herself, she wondered if she might've preferred the rain. The protection of the trees allowed for only the tiniest slither of moonlight to peek through and illuminate their way. Instead of that causing her any comfort, it only served to make her heart rate quicken. The moonlight had a funny way of twisting and distorting the already terrifying features of the forest, making it seems even more sinister and uninviting.

Her eyes quickly darted to the left as they continued on, sure she had seen something move out of the corner of her eye. The hairs on the bag of her neck seemed to stand on edge as she tentatively peered around, unable to shake the idea that _something _was curiously watching their every move. It was foolish, she knew, but at that moment it was as if the old woman from the tavern was standing right beside her, whispering silly notions of haunted castles and curses in her ear.

Nervously, she sped up a little, not wanting to fall even slightly behind her boys.

The castle itself wasn't any more inviting than the forest that surrounded it. It was _breathtaking _she had to concede, a testament to the excellent skills and architecture of those that had paved the way before them. Large, and hulking, with more turrets than she could count. Moss and ivy wound themselves around the old grey stone walls. Despite its undeniable beauty, she couldn't shake off the feeling that it looked downright creepy. Once again, she found herself recalling the older womans words. That this castle might be haunted suddenly didn't seem so farfetched. It seemed to cast an eerie, twisted shadow over the ground. A monster in its own right.

They came to a set of black iron gates, patterned with intricate designs. A large "R" sat in the middle of each gate, rain drops dripping almost ominously off the carefully designed flicks.

Jet groaned as he pushed on the gate, slowly opening it up for them. It seemed to _howl _in protest as it moved.

"I don't like this, I don't like this one bit," Droy murmured as they hurried quickly across the spacious grounds. Without the shelter given by the trees, they were once again at the mercy of the vicious rain.

By the time they reached the large wooden doors and were standing underneath a stone alcove, they were drenched to the bone. It was all Levy could do to not let her teeth chatter like a small child.

"We're here now," she said grimly, "no sense in complaining," she hesitated for a few long seconds before she reached out and tugged the ornate knocker placed directly center on the door. The knocker was another thing to add to her growing list of things that left a feeling of fear pooling in her stomach. The knocker was in the shape of a large dragons head, its jaws stretched open in an eternal, soundless, roar.

The subsequent _bang bang bang _echoed loudly around them, making her jump a little. She hasn't expected it to be so loud.

"Gods," Jet cursed, hopping from foot to foot awkwardly as they waited for some sort of response to their beckon, "you don't suppose we've been duped? Suppose this castle is empty?"

"Don't be silly Jet, land this big has to be managed by someone. Father would never let it sit to waste like that," the sceptical tone in her voice betrayed the confidence in her words. Seconds quickly turned to minutes yet still nobody had come to answer the door.

"Maybe...maybe we should knock again?" Droy asked, his own thoughts seemingly echoing her own.

"I should hope _not," _a stern voice called out, "that _first _one was more than enough thank you! Gave us all heart attacks. What were you trying to do...wake the dead?" They quickly found that the stern voice belonged to a tall woman, angrily striding towards them, holding a red shawl over her head to protect her from the rain.

"Well don't just _stand _there," she called, tittering in annoyance, "unless you _intend _to drown yourselves in this weather?" she swivelled round on her heel and quickly disappeared round a corner, leaving three extremely befuddled people in her wake.

"Do we...do we follow her?"

"_That would be wise!" _her shrill voice echoed loudly, and they didn't need to be told twice. Levy hoisted her damp hood back over her head and quickly scurried on after the strange woman with Jet and Droy quick on her heels.

They found her stood next to an ajar door just around the corner. Unlike the grand wooden door they had knocked on previously, this one was weathered and damp, "don't know _why _you wouldn't try the servants entrance first," the woman mumbled, tutting as they bowed their heads, stomped off their feet, and entered the castle.

"Deepest apologies ma'am," Jet bowed his head again, "we were eager to escape from the rain."

The woman sighed, her voice softening a little as she carefully locked the old door behind them, "not a problem, you couldn't have known. That door hasn't been used in years," there was a sadness in her tone that Levy couldn't quite place.

"Now," she clapped her hands together and turned to them, "what can I do for you weary folk? It's not often we get travellers knocking on our door at all hours of the night, I can tell you _that_! Almost wasn't going to let you in, you're lucky our young maid took pity on you!" she laughed at that, running a hand through her long silver locks as she spoke. Levy didn't doubt for a second that this was "the pretty one" the old woman in the tavern had mentioned.

"We were told we could find work here," Droy informed her, "a woman in the town told us you'd been looking for additions to Castle Redfox."

The woman's eyes widened, her mouth falling open almost comically in disbelief, "you _jest, _sir, surely?"

"We do not!" Levy said sharply, "ma'am we have been travelling for longer than I care to remember. We are good, honest people, if you have any work available I implore you...please consider us."

The woman laughed, throwing her head back as the light tinkle fell from her lips, "my, my," she gasped, "never thought I'd see the day someone would volunteer themselves up for work at Castle Redfox. I believe I owe a certain cook some coins," her eyes seemed to dance as she spoke, "your names please?" she asked, tugging a small lamp with a flickering flame from the holster on the wall.

"Jet Saruske, ma'am, these are my companions Droy Purant and Levy...Levy Anne."

The woman hummed to herself, her eyes landing on Levy thoughtfully.

Levy felt her heartbeat quicken under the woman's penetrative stare.

"A beautiful name," she said almost dismissively, and it was only then that Levy let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, "I am Mirajane Strauss, the _head _housekeeper of this castle. I do not doubt that we will be able to find room for you in our small family here, but this is no time to be discussing such matters. It will have to wait till the morn', for now I can only offer you a bed and perhaps some broth?"

"Oh _thank you_ ma'am," Droy gushed, "you are too kind."

Mirajane laughed, that pleasant little tinkle again, and shot them a wink, "you say that now, I find people often change their tune once I hand out the chores list."

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The broth was lukewarm but Levy found she didn't care as she hungrily scooped up the last morsels in her bowl. She hadn't realised how hungry she had been having spent the last few days surviving on whatever scraps of bread someone had felt kind enough to chuck at them. The vegetable broth felt like a banquet fit for a Queen in comparison.

"Never in all my years have I seen someone scarf up Cana's broth like that," Mirajane chuckled, "you _will _make her happy in the morning once she hears."

"It was delicious," Levy murmured, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "is...is Cana the cook?"

"Aye, and an excellent one at that," Mirajane said almost proudly, "all my staff are excellent. We run a very tight ship here."

"Of course," Jet nodded, "it's a beautiful castle."

Mirajane laughed again, "you've seen nothing yet good sir. Tomorrow you shall venture outside the servants quarters and _then _you will know what a beautiful castle is."

"Is the family a large one?" Droy asked, pushing away his now empty bowl, "the Redfox family? I can't say I've heard of them before."

"No, no," the air of sadness was back in her voice again, "it is just the young Master. An accident, a _terrible, terrible _accident took the rest of the family from us several years ago, only our good Earl remains," she shook her head suddenly and pushed herself away from the table with newfound gusto, "but family history can wait till the morn'! You, my dear miss, look like one more moment awake will quite possibly be the end of you. Sir's Jet and Droy, please excuse me whilst I escort Miss Levy to her room, I shall be back momentarily."

Levy nodded to her boys, offering them up what she hoped was a comforting smile, "I'll see you both in the morn'."

"Take care _mis-_...Levy."

"Sleep well."

She smiled once more before turning and following Mirajane down a corridor towards the servants sleeping quarters.

"Your friends care very deeply for you," Mirajane mused as they strode down the corridor, Levy almost running to keep up with Mirajane's wide strides, "may I ask how you came to travel together?"

"Childhood friends," she answered quickly, "my parents passed a short while before Jet and Droy planned to leave our hometown in search for work, I did not want to be left alone."

Mirajane hummed again, seemingly understanding Levy's plight, "the world can be a cruel place for women, aye?"

"Aye, ma'am."

"Well, let us pray life treats you better now you are in Castle Redfox, hm? This one, here," she paused outside a door, "I'm afraid it isn't much, but I daresay it's a lot better than what you've been used to recently, hm?"

The room really wasn't much. It was empty save for a small bed and dresser, but to Levy it was perfect. A faded night dress lay folded on the bed and she itched to tear off her damp clothes and step into it.

"It's perfect," she said earnestly, stepping into the small room and sighing, "truly. Thank you ma'am, you've been more than kind to us this eve', I don't know how we'll ever repay you."

"I'm sure you'll more than repay me soon enough, I have made it clear that I run a tight ship around here, haven't I?" she laughed, the twinkle in her eye betraying her attempt at a stern tone. She stepped forwards and placed the dwindling lamp on the small dresser.

"Of course," Levy smiled.

"Well, I'll leave you to settle. I daren't leave your boys alone for too long. I'll knock for you in the morn', goodnight Miss Levy."

"Goodnight ma'am," she bowed her head politely and smiled as Mirajane gently closed the door behind her. As soon as the door clicked shut, she leapt forwards, tugging off her cloak and dress as she went. It had been far too long since she had peeled off her clothes, she didn't want to even think about how many layers of grime and dirt clung to her skin. Ideally she wanted to slide into a bath and let the warm water massage her aches and knots. Unfortunately, she hadn't the foresight to ask Mirajane if a warm bath would be possible that night.

Still, at least she wouldn't have to sleep in her wet clothes yet again. She sighed happily to herself as she hoisted the night dress over her head and pulled it down. It was a bit too large for her, trailing along the floor as she crept towards the bed, but it was _dry_ and that was all that matter.

The bed was hard and a bit uncomfortable, the sign of a bed that had not been slept in for a long while, but she would not complain. She found that she didn't _want _to complain. For the first time since leaving London, she actually felt safe.

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she rested her head against the stiff pillow. Sleep was coming fast.

The walls of Castle Redfox were strong and uninviting, she could relax freely here without worrying about the life she had so quickly left behind in the city.

A _roar _of thunder echoed through the large castle.

A roar that was not _quite_ thunder followed shortly after, but by then sleep had already caught hold of her and pulled her way under.

.

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So...a Beauty and the Beast AU huh? Yup, I went there! It's loosely based on BatB...I say loosely because while the main plot of "a beast" will be featuring in this fic, that's more or less all it's going to take? So no talking teapots or candles etc, etc.

Also _extremely _loosely based on the period in British history known as the "Glorious Revolution". I mean, I say loosely this time because it's not even going to come into the fic for a while….so just think of this as a fic that just takes some of the features of the GR and uses it! So it's really not at all important if you know nothing about it!

Please do review, this is the first time I've really tried an AU that wasn't a modern mundane AU so it'd be nice to get some feedback!

xoxo


	2. Chapter 2

**Irredeemable**

**summary; **She didn't believe in witches and demons and curses. He didn't believe he could ever be saved. Funny how things work out.

_2;_

For the first time in recent memory, Levy awoke feeling _rested_. It didn't matter that the blanket she was currently cuddled under was thin and oddly scratchy, all she cared about was the fact that her muscles and bones didn't ache and, most importantly, she was _warm_. Warmer than she'd been since leaving London all those weeks ago. Her heart sunk a little as she thought of London, and the life she had left behind. Constantly moving hadn't allowed her the chance to simply sit and let the storm of emotions finally set inside her.

A light tap on her door interrupted her thoughts, and for a very brief moment a wave of fear washed over her before she remembered where exactly she was.

She groaned a little as she rolled over, righting herself as she went, determined to shed any negative or fear-ridden thoughts she had been harbouring. She was _safe _now, holed up behind the walls of Castle Redfox, miles and miles away from London.

"Come in," she called, swinging her legs out of her bed, wincing as her bare toes hit the floor. A moment passed before the door was gently pushed open and the Mirajane's kindly face poked through.

"Good morning Miss Levy. Did I wake you?" she asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Good morning ma'am. No, no. I woke just before you came," she said honestly, feeling her earlier sense of fear wash away almost immediately. Mirajane had an odd calming ability about her. Levy supposed it was her smile, warm, inviting and wholly _kind._ She hadn't met someone like that in far too long.

"Excellent. Well, up you get, I'm afraid you've got a very busy morning ahead of you. Come on," she said kindly, smiling a little as she watched Levy rub some of the sleep out of her eyes before standing up, "throw on this shawl and come down to eat. We can find you a uniform later - I'm sure one of the girls will have a spare until we can get one made - it's best you get down to breakfast as early as possible, the boys are _quite _ravenous in the morning."

Levy nodded, grabbing the beige shawl Mirajane had passed to her, draping it over her shoulders to cover her modesty somewhat as she hurried after her.

"Did you sleep well?" the woman asked conversationally as they strode quickly through the castle, taking the route Levy remembered vaguely from the previous night.

"Very well, thank you ma'am! The first good night I've had in weeks."

Mirajane chuckled, stopping outside a pair of doors, "I _shudder _to think what conditions you've been sleeping in if that bed has elicited such a response from you. You'll be complaining about it before long," she reached out to tug on the handle, before pausing to regard Levy carefully, "have you ever worked Miss Levy?"

The question, albeit one she had been expecting eventually, caught her off-guard, "m-ma'am?" she stammered.

"You have very soft hands," she murmured, stretching out her own rough, calloused fingers, "I'm very jealous."

Levy swallowed, spreading her hands to stare at the unmarred skin, a tell-tale sign of a life lived without much hardship, "I've worked," she said stubbornly, snatching her hands down to her side, "my parents kept me sheltered, yes, but I've worked."

Mirajane hummed, and Levy couldn't tell if she believed her or not, "very well. I must warn you, we _do _run a strict house here, I expect my staff to work to the best of their abilities, if you feel as if this is beyond your level, I'd rather you state so now. We've had far too many girls come and go because they can't handle the job. Our maid team is becoming rather desperate."

"I'll be fine ma'am," and _that _wasn't a lie. She'd always been a quick learner and was never one to shy away from a challenge, especially when it was entirely possible her livelihood depended on it.

"_That's _what I like to hear," Mirajane smiled, any pretense of suspicioun erased from her features, "now then, let's get you something to eat," she pushed open the doors and strode through, "breakfast is served at 6am every morning. I do believe I mentioned before, but I'm sure you can see, the boys are _quite _ravenous, so it would be best to get down a tad earlier to stake your claim."

The large table before them sat several men and women, clamouring over several trays of bread and a large bowl placed center of the table. She sought out Jet and Droy almost immediately, finding them sat either side of a man with light pink hair. She shot them both a little wave as Mirajane cleared her throat, immediately commanding the attention of the inhabitants of the room.

"Good morning," she said brightly, smiling as the "_Good morning ma'am_," followed almost immediately, "I'm sure you've all realised we have a few new additions to our home this morning."

The pink haired man in between Jet and Droy sniggered, "we're not _blind _ma'am. Jet and Droy've already made themselves at home, right boys?"

They both smiled weakly and Levy giggled, it was as clear as day that they felt just as over their heads as she.

Mirajane tittered, "perhaps to _you _Natsu, as I put them in your charge last night, but to everyone else they are still strangers. And even you haven't met Miss Levy," she turned to Levy and smiled, "the man prone to outbursts - _"Hey_!_" - _is Mister Natsu Dragneel, our Masters Valet. Speaking of such, the Master will be up shortly Natsu, what on _earth _are you still doing down here?"

A small yelp fell from Natsu's lips as he sprung up from the table, grabbing a slice of bread as he went, "I _swear_, he gets up earlier and earlier each day!" he grumbled as he brushed past them and fled down the corridor.

"I _told _him" a soft voice huffed, Levy looked up to find a blonde shaking her head as she sipped her drink.

"We _all _told him," a deeper voice put in, this time from a man with thick black hair.

Mirajane chuckled, "as long as the Master has no need to complain, I shan't be too worried by Natsu's poor time keeping skills. Miss Levy, if you would take his seat for this morning and get some food into you. There's some porridge in the bowl."

She nodded, moving around the table to settle herself in between her boys, desperately trying to ignore the curious, unabashed, stares being thrown her way.

"Miss Lucy," Mirajane said suddenly, earning the attention of the blonde who had just spoken.

"Ma'am?"

"You'll be pleased to know that Miss Levy will be joining us as a housemaid."

Lucy's eyes lit up as she turned to Levy, "oh thank _goodness_, the girls _will _be happy."

"Miss Levy, you'll shadow Miss Lucy for the day. You'll be in very capable hands, I can assure you."

Levy bowed her head politely, unable to speak through a mouthful of porridge. She was quickly learning that the cook for Castle Redfox was extremely talented.

"Jet and Droy, I trust Natsu wasn't _too _much of a handful last night?"

"No ma'am, he was very kind," Jet said with a smile, "a bit...excitable, but very kind."

Both Mirajane and the other man at the table chuckled at that, "normally I would have put you in the care of Lily, our Butler, but he won't be back till…?" she turned to the man.

"This afternoon, ma'am."

"Thank you Gray. Jet, Gray Fullbuster is one of our Coach men, you'll be assisting him and Elfman with the maintenance and grooming of the stables and horses. I trust that will be fine?"

Jet nodded eagerly and Levy couldn't help but smile. The man had been an avid horse rider back in London, one of the fastest and most adept she'd seen. He would thrive in the stables.

"You any good with horses?" Gray asked, leaning forwards and brandishing a porridge stained spoon at him.

"Excellent with them," Jet said proudly, and Levy didn't miss the way he puffed out his chest as he spoke.

Mirajane cleared her throat, "and Droy, I must admit, we had only two vacancies, but you mentioned last night you had green fingers. We _have _been in dire need of a gardener, if that will suit you?"

"Thank the _heavens_!" Lucy laughed, as Droy eagerly nodded his head, "I'm afraid you've got your work cut out for you Droy, _I _was the last person to weed the grass and I fear I didn't do a very thorough job."

"I like a challenge."

Levy smiled as she nibbled on her bread, watching Droy and Lucy discuss the state of the grounds. In the absence of an actual gardener, the staff had taken to maintaining themselves - a chore none of them particularly enjoyed.

"If you could lend Miss Levy a gown after she eats, Miss Lucy?" Mirajane asked, reaching over for a slice of bread, "and perhaps some shoes, I imagine your boots from last night will still be very damp?"

Levy smiled gratefully across the table towards Lucy who had uttered a quick _"of course ma'am_" at the request.

With each passing second, London was feeling further and further away.

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"Ah, it's too big," Lucy simpered as Levy emerged from her room, clutching the waist of her gown to stop the bottom from trailing along the floor as she moved, "we'll have to find Juvia and get her to take down your sizes this evening."

"Juvia?" Levy asked as the pair strode through the corridor, Juvia was not a name she had heard over breakfast.

"Our laundry maid, though recently she's taken to helping out Cana in the kitchen," a small smile tugged at her lips at that, "she's an _amazing _dressmaker. She did all of our gowns, you know? Mirajane was so glad when she found out she could sew as well as she does, we were spending a small fortune on uniforms. Ah, this way," she pushed open a single door and ushered Levy through it.

"I...ah, I take it we're out of the servants quarters now?"

Lucy chuckled, "indeed."

The servants quarters were by no means bad, in fact they seemed to be a vast improvement on the ones she'd seen previously in life, but they paled in comparison to the main house. They stood in what she could only assume was the main lobby, a large staircase sat in the middle with ornate, winding rails as it travelled upwards. Colourful tapestries lined the walls, and delicate looking vases and ornaments stood proudly almost everywhere she looked. The Redfox family was a rich one indeed. She wondered how they'd manage to eschew her fathers notice all these years.

"We split the house in two," Lucy informed her, hoisting up her own gown as they made their way up the staircase, "Lisanna and Wendy take that side," she nodded to her right as the staircase split in two, "and we take the left side. It's been difficult these past few weeks, with only three of us, the girls will be so glad to hear we've got you."

"Where are they?" Levy asked, frowning again, she hadn't seen them at breakfast either, she wondered how many more people Castle Redfox housed that she was thus far unaware of.

"You just missed them this morn', you came down quite late today. You'll see them at supper though. You'll see everyone there. We all eat together in the evening, keeps us close, you see? Our tasks are quite simple, you'll learn the ropes quickly."

They turned a corner and began hurrying down a dark corridor with more doors than she could keep count of. She wondered how long it would take her to get used to the twists and turns of Castle Redfox. Lucy seemed to know it like the back of her hand.

"How long have you been working here Miss Lucy?"

"Just Lucy, _just _Lucy!" she chided gently, her eyes twinkling a little, "we're of the same station, Levy. Only ones above us are Mirajane, Erza, Lily and the young Master."

More names she couldn't put faces to.

"I've been here about seven years now," she muttered absentmindedly as she ducked into a drawing room suddenly, "we'll start here today. This one hasn't been given a thorough clean in a while now."

That Lucy had been at Castle Redfox for seven years surprised Levy entirely, the blonde was unrepentantly beautiful and carried herself with grace very rarely seen in the housemaid, and her tone of voice suggested she had been given the luxury of a _proper _upbringing, much like her own. Levy had already decided that Lucy wouldn't have been at all out of place seated amongst those considered to be the highest in society.

"...still expects a clean house."

Levy blinked, unaware that Lucy had been speaking. The girl was buried in a cupboard, yanking out cleaning rags and dusters as she went.

"Is he strict, the young Master?"

Lucy hummed, tugging her head out of the cupboard and closing it tightly behind her, "fairly," she said honestly, "but you do a good job, and he won't bother you. That's why the last girl left you know? The young Master snapped at her."

"Does he do that often?"

"Snap at us?"

Levy nodded, suddenly remembering the disdain and disgust the townsfolk had for the Earl of Magnolia.

"Occasionally."

Levy bit her lip as she strode across the room and picked up one of the dusters Lucy had retrieved from the cupboard. She was beginning to wonder what type of house they had walked into.

"Is he...a nice man?"

Lucy chuckled, "a _nice _man? Perhaps, _once_...I came just after all the unrest, I didn't have the pleasure of knowing the Redfox family before."

"The unrest?"

Lucy glanced furtively around the room before inching closer to Levy, "Mirajane asked we don't talk about it…" her eyes darted around the room once more, "but...well, you should know, if you're going to be staying. You know it's just the young Master now, right?"

Levy nodded, "Mirajane mentioned yesterday that the rest of the Redfox family passed in an accident?"

"A robbery gone wrong," Lucy murmured quietly, "they'd been travelling back to the Castle, after visiting some friends in the city. Their carriage was stopped and they were robbed. I think the robbers realised just _who _they'd stopped and robbed, but it was too late to turn back. I mean, you don't rob an _Earl _and expect to get away with it. Only one thing follows that."

"A hanging," Levy whispered.

"Too right! But nobody wants to be hanged if they can avoid it, so they did what they did."

Levy frowned, "and...and what was that?"

"Well, they killed them didn't they?" Lucy said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "killed the old Earl, his wife, and their poor little son, only five years old apparently. Terrible, so terrible."

Levy felt her heart sink at Lucy's words, "and the young Master?"

"He was there," she said quietly, "they tried to kill him too, was apparently on the brink of death, it's a miracle he survived. I wasn't here before, so I don't know what he was like prior to the...the unfortunate situation...but the others say he changed. And can you blame him? Watched his mother, father, and brother slaughtered in front of him. Who wouldn't change? He sticks mostly to himself now, takes no personal visitors. No friends, no family, it's quite sad don't you th-"

An exasperated sigh cut her off, and both women froze, a soft whimper of _"Gods_" escaping from Lucy's mouth.

"I don't pay you to gossip, _maid_."

"Of course sir," Lucy said meekly, bowing her head and curtseying as she turned to face the man standing in the doorway, "my deepest apologies."

"And who's this?"

Levy jolted as his gaze turned to her, his eyes narrowed in obvious suspicion.

"Miss Levy, sir," Lucy said quickly, "our new housemaid. Just starting today. Levy, this is Sir Gajeel Redfox, the Earl of Magnolia."

Levy didn't know what she'd really been expecting from the Earl. Her experience had led her to believe they were an almost exclusive group of pale, portly old men with thinning white hair and hands that wandered. Tall with lightly tanned skin and _long _black hair pulled backwards, _this _Earl was a drastic departure from what she had become accustomed to. Her gaze flickered over his body and upwards to his face. His eyes were narrowed, the bags under them looking like a permanent fixture, and his lips turned downwards in a disapproving frown. For a brief second, his eyes met her own and she quickly bowed her head and curtseyed just as Lucy had done.

"A pleasure to meet you sir," she whispered, sure she had imagined the strange red hue she had seen in his eyes.

He grunted, before turning from her, barely sparing her a second glance, "tell Lily to find me in my study once he gets a chance."

"Yes sir!" Lucy said immediately.

He lingered for a moment longer before shaking his head and turning from them, "back to work. This room is a mess."

Their polite, "_yes sir!" _fell on deaf ears as he was already gone. Once his footsteps plodding down the corridor could be heard no longer, Levy breathed out a sigh of relief she hadn't been aware she was holding.

"Is he always that...impolite?" Levy asked curiously, though Lucy had seem eager to please and placate the man, she noticed that she didn't seem overly worried by his snappish tone and dismissive behaviour.

Lucy shrugged, her eyes still trained on the doorway, "it was probably a bad night for him. He has terrible nightmares you know?"

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A/N: So, half the characters introduced, I did consider chucking them all in this chapter but it felt horribly forced so~~~~~

Thank you for the positive reviews and comments so far (both on here and tumblr!) it's really motivating!

xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

**Irredeemable**

**summary;** She didn't believe in witches and demons and curses. He didn't believe her could ever be saved. Funny how things work out.

_3;_

She was rather embarrassed to admit it, but she was tired. Utterly and completely drained. She wanted nothing more than to retire to her small room and embrace her bedsheets with more vigour than she ever had before. And the day wasn't even nearly finished.

She stifled a yawn as she hurried after Lucy, the blonde full of more energy than Levy had stuck in her pinky finger. They'd spent the morning and greater part of the afternoon scrubbing floors, dusting rarely used rooms and hanging out musty sheets to air. It was an embarrassing testament to the sheltered life she had lived that these simple tasks had drained her so wholly whilst Lucy was still a bouncing ball of energy.

"Today wasn't so bad, eh?" Lucy mused as they ducked through a door, bringing them back to the servants quarters once again - a far cry from the luxury and grandeur she'd spent her day cleaning, "I've been meaning to tackle some of those rooms for a while now."

Levy hummed, trying - and failing - to stifle yet another yawn. Lucy giggled, and shot her a knowing wink, "it'll get easier, don't you worry," she added, obviously noting the blush on Levy's face, "some lunch will brighten you up anyway." The pair hurried down the corridor, a soft smile tugging at Levy's lips as she half-heartedly listened to Lucy natter away.

Not for the first time since entering Castle Redfox, she found herself at ease. From the stern yet kindly Mirajane to the excitable Natsu and the bubbly and friendly Lucy, she knew they'd taken refuge in somewhere _kind_. She'd yet to meet the rest of the staff, but she got the distinct impression they operated as a strange family. She'd spent the morning and early afternoon listening to Lucy rattle off humorous stories about the people she worked with, a fond smile etched onto her face throughout.

A loud clanging interrupted Lucy, followed by a familiar flash of pink diving out of a room, followed by what looked like a wooden spoon narrowly missing his head.

"...and next time, I _won't _miss!" a woman barked as she stepped into the doorway, hands on her hips, and a frown on her face, "you keep your grubby paws _out _of my pots Natsu Dragneel or so help me…"

"Aye," Natsu grumbled, retrieving the spoon and handing it to her, "no need to be so violent, though."

Lucy laughed as they neared the arguing pair, "_that_ was nothing Natsu, just wait until Cana tells Erza you were stealing from the pot again," she teasing, giggling lightly as the colour seemed to drain from Natsu's face.

"You wouldn't."

Cana smirked and cocked her head to the side, an almost _too _innocent glint in her eyes, "I may."

"Cana thi-"

Whatever Natsu had to say, Cana didn't care for. She'd finally noticed Levy standing off to the side, a look of bemusement on her face as she watched their strange exchange. Cana whistled, "and who's _this_?"

"This is Levy, our newest maid," Lucy turned to Levy and smiled, "Levy, this is Cana, our cook. Stay on her good side," she winked.

Cana cackled, lightly whacking Lucy on the arm, "stop scaring the poor thing. Don't you worry, there hasn't been a case of food poisoning in this castle for _years_, though," she narrowed her eyes as she turned to Natsu, "if someone doesn't keep his fingers out of my pots, I can't promise it'll stay that way for long."

Levy giggled, bowing her head slightly to Cana as she approached, "a pleasure to meet you, Cana."

"Well I'll be damned," she whistled, "I can't remember the last time someone bowed to me around here. It's really unnecessary pet, I'm just the cook. An amazing cook, but a cook all the same."

"A _humble_ cook," Lucy muttered loudly, earning a snigger from Natsu.

Cana huffed and turned to Levy, "you see what I have to deal with? Now come, come, let's get some lunch in you. 'Via?" she called, "everything ready?"

Levy followed Cana into the kitchen, Natsu and Lucy hot on their tails bickering amongst themselves _("I wasn't stealing from the pot!" "So Cana attacked you for fun?" "Exactly!" "Gods Natsu!"). _Her mouth began to water ever so slightly as she caught sight of several pots bubbling on a large stove.

"_That's _dinner," Cana grinned, accurately guessing where Levy's eyes were heading, "lunch, albeit delicious, isn't that grand," she nodded to a large table in the middle of the kitchen where a large pot sat with several trays of bread surrounding it, "go on, get some soup in ya."

Apparently that was all the permission Natsu needed.

"Natsu!" a blue haired woman seated at the table chided gently as the man dove into one of the seats and grabbed some bread, "it's not going to run away."

"Don't waste your breath," Lucy muttered as she sat down, "I've been trying to convince him that for years. Levy, this is Juvia - I mentioned her earlier I think? Juvia, this is Levy, our newest maid!"

"Nice to meet you Juvia," Levy smiled, "I've heard that you're a pretty good dressmaker?"

Juvia blushed and ducked her head, picking at the bread on her plate, "Juvia is...adequate."

"_Psssh! _'Via is the best damn dressmaker in the godforsaken country!" Cana called, still standing over the pots - though Levy wasn't sure if she was stirring them or simply afraid Natsu would go hunting again, "stop selling yourself short. She made all our uniforms you know?"

If it were possible, Juvia's blush seemed to deepen at Cana's complements.

"I did, Lucy mentioned it. If...if it's not too much trouble, would you mind taking my measurements? When you have some free time?" Levy asked the blushing woman, "Lucy's been kind enough to let me borrow some of her gowns but," she tugged at the material, "as you can see, it's not an exact fit…"

"Juvia would love to," she smiled, "come and find me after dinner tonight and Juvia will take your measurements. Now, start eating, everyone else will be down soon and y-" she trailed off and nodded towards the door, "too late!"

"What _are _you implying Juvia," a silver haired woman pouted as she entered the kitchen, closely followed by a small girl and Mirajane.

"She's implying _we're _greedy," the girl huffed, sliding easily onto a chair, "I'm a growing girl, I'm _supposed _to eat."

"Yes well, what's Lisanna's excuse?" Mirajane laughed, settling into the chair at the head of the table.

"_Mira!" _the silver haired woman pouted, "you're supposed to be on my side."

Levy's eyebrows rose as she watched Mirajane and the silver haired woman bicker goodnaturedly amongst themselves.

"Sisters," Lucy whispered with a smirk, "they're sisters."

"_Oh._"

Well, that explained a lot.

Clearing her throat, Lucy sat up a little, "Lisanna? Wendy?"

The girl looked up and Levy offered her up a nervous smile, "hm?"

"Meet Levy, you'll be happy to know she's our newest addition."

Lisanna clapped, "so _this _is who you mentioned earlier, Mira? Lisanna Strauss, a pleasure," she inclined her head towards Levy.

"And I'm Wendy! Did...did you say your name was Levy?"

"Mhm!"

"Like the _Princess_!"

For the first time since entering Castle Redfox, a wave of nausea washed over Levy. For a brief second, the room seemed to spin. She darted her tongue out to run over her lips, "I-"

The other door in the room was flung open and Levy was spared having to answer the question.

"...just _saying_, Kurogane is a bastard, never seen anyone take to him so easily before," Gray muttered as he, Jet and Droy entered the kitchen.

"Ah, Mr Gray!" Juvia said suddenly, hopping up from her seat, "let me fix you a plate."

"He can fix his own damn plate 'Via," Cana sniffed, "_and _he's tracking mud in my kitchen."

Mirajane clicked her tongue, apparently sensing an argument, "boys, _sit_. Miss Cana, they'll mop up any mud they leave once they've eaten, understood?"

"Aye," she huffed.

Jet and Droy squeezed themselves into the seats beside Levy, "how is your first day going?"

"Good," she smiled and then wrinkled her nose, "you both...ah…you smell," she finished weakly.

Droy grinned, "a hard days work will do that to you. The grounds here are _amazing_," his eyes seemed to light up as he scooped up some soup from the pot.

"And they have quite a few horses," Jet smiled, "it's been a while since I got to spend this much time with one."

"Tch," Gray huffed from across the table, "not that anyone could tell. Never seen anyone tame Kurogane that quickly before."

"Kurogane?"

"The Masters personal horse," Lucy explained, "Kurogane has a frightful temper, even Gray has trouble with him."

"Remember when he kicked you in the face?" Natsu sniggered.

"Oi!"

"My, my, that _is _impressive," Mirajane nodded with a pleased smile, "I'm glad to hear you're both settling in so well. How has your day been Miss Levy?"

"Wonderful ma'am, Lucy was so helpful."

"Excellent, excellent. We can celebrate with a feast tonight!"

At the mention of the word 'feast' everyone turned to Mirajane, identical looks of excitement etched onto their faces.

"Lily, Erza and Elfman are due back this evening. I thought we'd have something of a celebration to welcome them back. How are the preparations going Miss Cana?"

"Should be ready in time for supper, it's just...we _are _running low on fish. I'm not sure our supply will stretch for the meal tonight."

Mirajane frowned, "I thought we had enough to last till the end of the month?"

"We did, but the pantry was raided by wolves a few nights back. We're down on quite a lot of meat."

"Someone will have to go into town," she said quietly, "Master specifically asked for fish tonight."

"Levy can go!"

Levy stared at Lucy, "I…"

"Take the afternoon off," the blonde winked, "I can finish what little we've got left, it'll give you some time to recuperate before we do it all again tomorrow."

An intense feeling of gratitude washed over Levy and she mouthed a quiet "thank you" to Lucy. She wondered briefly if it had been so obvious to anyone else that she was extremely tired.

"You don't mind Miss Levy?"

"Not at all ma'am!"

Jet frowned, "do you need someone to go with you?"

She shook her head, "I'll be fine, don't you worry."

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She bit back a scowl and tugged the hood of her cloak over her head as she hurried up the increasingly familiar pathway to Castle Redfox. Cana had given her specific instructions to get back before nightfall and the sun was not far from disappearing.

The journey into town to purchase some fish really shouldn't have taken as long as it had done but the townsfolk were irritating. Even more so than they had been on the night they arrived. The first few people she had come across flat out refused to tell her where she could purchase fish after one man had loudly yelled that she was from the castle.

And it appeared news travelled fast, for when she actually got to the store to purchase the fish, the man hiked the prices up drastically sneering "_yer from the castle aint ya, I know ye' can afford it." _In the end she managed to get it for only three silver coins higher than what he had been advertising it for.

"_Gods_," she huffed as the sun dipped even lower, she wasn't entirely sure what the inhabitants of Castle Redfox had done to annoy the townsfolk, but she was determined to find out. This went beyond the usual levels of mistrust the working class had for those higher than them, this was plain dislike. Making a mental note to ask Lucy about it once she returned to the Castle, she ploughed on, entering the area of dense trees.

She froze suddenly, a low growling snapping her out of her reverie. For a few horribly brief seconds she allowed herself the fantasy that she had simply imagined the growling. It was late, dark, and she was strolling through a rather creepy looking forest after all. But as soon as she took another step forwards, the growling commenced again, this time louder and she knew she wasn't imagining the shapes emerging from the dense trees.

She felt her heart leap into her throat as she watched four large wolves inch forwards, teeth bared,snarling and barking as they went.

"Oh...oh my," she breathed, taking a tentative step backwards as one - the largest one - snapped its head from side to side, it's dark eyes glinting menacingly in the moonlight. She wanted to turn on her heel and _run_, but knew outrunning the beasts would be nigh on impossible. Besides, she wasn't too keen on turning her back on them either. For the moment, they seemed content with moving slowly, watching her curiously as they padded forwards. She knew that would all change the moment she turned to run. They would be on her before she even had the chance futilely to scream out for help.

She took another step backwards, her foot snapping a large twig as she went. The noise seemed to anger the beasts, for they howled suddenly, the largest one raising his head to the sky to let out the ear piercing sound. Any intentions of screaming loudly for help were quickly erased from her mind.

Whimpering quietly, she glanced all around her for an exit, finding only the uninviting forest on either side of her. She bit her lip, knowing it wouldn't be long before the wolves tired of taunting her and simply attacked. Out on the clear pathway, she was fair game, but inside the forest with its tightly packed trees she figured she had more of a chance of outrunning them. The chance was horrendously slim, but it was better than what would happen if she stayed on the pathway. Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists, took one last look at the wolves, and _ran_.

They were on her as quickly as she imagined. She barely broke through into the actual forest before she _felt _one yapping and snarling at her heels. She pushed on, using her arms to make a small pathway between the trees as she darted through them. As she had hoped, the trees seemed to slow the wolves down, but not by much. She knew if she slowed down by even the smallest fraction, they would be on her. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she ran, panting and wheezing, begging for someone, _anyone_, to help her.

The density of the forest made it impossible for her to keep track of which direction she was running it, but she hoped she was moving closer to the castle. The idea that she was running _away _from any possibility of salvation was a terrifying one.

A loud howl cut through the night, sending a shockwave of fear through her. It sounded close. Much closer than it did before. Against her better judgement, she glanced backwards, eye widening in fear as she realised just how close they were. She could _see _the drool trailing down their jaws and the sharp point of their bared teeth. The largest one snarled angrily at her, seemingly sensing her fear, and she jumped, losing her footing on the already bumpy ground.

A mixture of a wail and a shriek fell from her lips as she fell, spinning her body so she landed on her side. She hissed in pain as her thigh scraped against the floor. The wolves barking and howling simmered down to low growls once again as they converged on her, gnashing their teeth and wildly shaking their heads as they went.

"Please," she whimpered as she inched backwards, pain coursing through her thigh, "please, _help!" _

The wolves howled in response, their jaws quivering as the terrifying sound erupted from their bodies, and her heart sunk. Any hope of surviving this ordeal had been extinguished from her soul. She muttered a quick prayer as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, hoping it would not be as painful as she imagined.

The howling intensified as she heard them creeping closer, and she tensed, expecting to feel their jaws piercing her skin at any moment. Instead, she heard _whining_. Her eyes snapped open to find the wolves retreating slowly, their heads bowed, a soft whine coming from the largest.

"Wha-"

Her question was cut off by an impossibly loud roar, coming from directly behind her. The wolves whimpered before turning and running, their tails quite literally between their legs as they dashed through the forest.

Her heart thudded loudly against her ribcage as she slowly turned around, knowing that whatever had scared the wolves away was standing directly behind her.

It was hidden behind the trees, but she could make out a dark silhouette. A _large, _dark silhouette. It towered heads above her, bigger than any man she had ever seen. She whimpered as she tried to push herself up, but fell back almost immediately, the pain in her thigh immobilizing her. The creature growled, a low, guttural sound that sent a wave of fear through her. The snapping of twigs told her the creature was moving forwards. It sounded heavy.

"Please," she whimpered again, trying and failing to stand up, "please," her vision was beginning to blur now, the pain in her thigh too unbearable to ignore.

The creature snarled and her mouth fell open in a silent scream as a scaled arm emerged from the shadows. Sharp, thick, claws stretched in front of her and the last thing Levy knew before everything went black was the sound of an almighty roar.

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**A/N: **Weh kind of late because I have no wifi :(

I _swear _you'll actually get some real Gajevy interaction sometime soon lol, but yeah I hope you enjoyed this chapter I'm having fun with all the different characters ^_^

Review pls!


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